The Trump administration just pulled a move that had international travelers scratching their heads for a few hours before it mysteriously vanished, as reported by The Hill. The White House, deep in a battle over funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), suspended the Global Entry program for international travelers and then threatened to do the same for TSA PreCheck. That PreCheck threat lasted mere hours before they were forced to backtrack!
This whole situation has really infuriated Democrats, who are accusing the administration of deliberately making life harder for the American public as a negotiating tactic. Meanwhile, administration officials are saying these steps are totally necessary because the agency’s funding has lapsed for an eleventh day.
Negotiations over DHS funding haven’t really moved much, with Democrats sticking to their demands for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This latest move feels like a clear signal the White House is trying to make things uncomfortable. Jim Manley, who was a top aide to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and former Sen. Ted Kennedy, thinks we’ll see more of these pressure tactics. He noted that while it’s “still relatively targeted” compared to what we usually expect, the only question is whether the next moves will be low-impact or more acute.
The PreCheck threat was especially baffling, considering the program had a whopping 20 million active members as of August 2024
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that President Trump and the DHS are using “bullying tactics” and are “choosing to inflict pain on the public.” He even pointed out that the administration didn’t pull these kinds of stunts during the record-setting, 43-day shutdown last fall. Senator Tammy Duckworth echoed that sentiment, saying air travelers and airlines were “understandably shocked by the chaotic, poorly-coordinated” actions.
Beyond the travel programs, the administration also announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has paused “non-emergency recovery work.” Plus, lawmakers won’t be getting those courtesy airport escorts anymore. Even more, the DHS will now have to approve all travel for FEMA employees, even if that travel is funded through separate disaster money. It all paints a picture of an administration trying to squeeze every possible pressure point.
Air travel has historically been a critical pressure point in government shutdowns, so everyone’s keeping a close eye on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Their employees are working without pay right now. In 2019, a sick-out by air traffic controllers basically brought the second-longest shutdown in history to an end. As one GOP senator put it, “If it does happen, it will cause major delays and a major loss, again, for the airlines.”
At the heart of this funding battle are the Democratic demands for ICE reforms, which came about after federal immigration authorities shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month. The White House, trying to push back, distributed talking points on Sunday detailing actions taken in Minneapolis since border czar Tom Homan took over ICE operations.
They claimed “de-escalatory solutions and improvements” had been made, including equipping agents with body cameras and requiring federal officers to clearly display their badges during operations.
However, Democratic negotiators aren’t budging. Their counter-proposal to the White House last week, which Republicans dismissed as a rehash of old demands, included calls for immigration agents to be unmasked in the field and to act more like other law enforcement agencies, plus tighter warrant requirements.
These are considered “red lines” for Republicans. It’s tough for Republicans to acquiesce to these demands because ICE is largely unaffected by the DHS shutdown anyway, thanks to $75 billion in border operations funding they approved in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
Published: Feb 24, 2026 01:00 pm